Breathalyzer for France

[NickinFrance]

Fixed penalty notices can be challenged in a court of law if you are not prepared to accept them.

As they can in France, the only other country I know about.

 

[Gafferbill]

(reference fixed penalty notices)
As they can in France, the only other country I know about.

Nick ......can an on the spot fine be challenged?
......or instant driving bans of 6 months for exceeding a French speed limits by 50 kph?
......or confiscation of your car until any fine is paid?

My understanding is that French police officers can do all of these things and much more, without reference to any court.

 

[NickinFrance]

Nick ......can an on the spot fine be challenged?

Yes but like all things French, you pay(see below), then appeal or reclaim the money (even for medical treatment for those in the French system)

......or instant driving bans of 6 months for exceeding a French speed limits by 50 kph?

I've never heard of that but the law is that you can't drive a motor vehicle if you are not carrying a valid license & I know that French Police will take your license if you are caught doing over 50kph over a limit, so you can't continue your journey as a driver.
If you have a non-French license you just apply for a new one when you get home saying you have lost or damaged yours. There is no collaboration between different EU licensing authorities.

......or confiscation of your car until any fine is paid?

Again I have never heard of that but wouldn't surprise me as a way of guaranteeing the fine is paid, just like the UK Police can confiscate a vehicle if they suspect it has no insurance, MoT or tax or that the driver hasn't a valid license?
As a French resident with a UK driving license there is no requirement for me to change to a French license unless I commit an offence attracting a 3 or more points.
Just after I moved here, so still had UK registered vehicles I was done for not wearing a seat belt & was given an 'on the spot fine' which meant I had to buy a 90€ stamp from the post office, stick it on the postcard the officer gave me & post it to the local Prefecture. No route marching to the bank to get cash etc. Other (speeding) offences are just a letter in the post, the same as the UK except I ignore the ones that come from the UK
In fact, I've never know anyone who has been route marched to the bank to get the cash, it's always a friend of a friend or 'someone down the pub'.

 

[otherclive]

(reference fixed penalty notices)
As they can in France, the only other country I know about.

Nick ......can an on the spot fine be challenged?
......or instant driving bans of 6 months for exceeding a French speed limits by 50 kph?
......or confiscation of your car until any fine is paid?

My understanding is that French police officers can do all of these things and much more, without reference to any court.

If you look at Legislationonline you'll see detailed coverage of a large number of countries legal systems. I couldn't find one European one where it was not possible to challenge a fixed notice fine through the courts. Not really surprising as they all signed up to the European Convention of Human Rights. Not to be able to challenge the police would be the start of a police state. The German Law Journal published a critical article on UK caution policy and its lack of legal representation and advice even for non-adults which is administered soley under the jurisdiction of the police.
http://www.germanlawjournal.com/pdfs/Vol05No10/PDF_Vol_05_No_10_1207-1216_Public_Jasch.pdf

 

[Gybe]

Our own works outfits are GPS tracked and the GPS satnavs also record our top speed, last week one of our drivers was pulled in France as he entered a service area. Stopped for speeding,

most hgv lorries have trackers anyway and unless they were the dumbest of police, they would know that,.So did they really leave because they thought "oh gosh they have tracker gps" ? doubt that.and why did your friend wait till he was almost opening the back to tell them this vital info! yawn or maybe it a yarn.
hey have you ever thought that your friends might be targeted because they are poor drivers? and are unhappy at being caught over and over again?

Could JonnyG just be another make it up as you go along EU police officer?

What HGV? I never realised that a Toyoya or a Nissan 4x4 were now HGV's JonnyG. Being "caught" means there would be fines, endorsments or drivers being locked up, vehicles impounded. That has never happened.

 

[Parksy]

Could JonnyG just be another make it up as you go along EU police officer?

What HGV? I never realised that a Toyoya or a Nissan 4x4 were now HGV's JonnyG. Being "caught" means there would be fines, endorsments or drivers being locked up, vehicles impounded. That has never happened.

If you are unable to debate a point without using personal insults Gybe then please don't take part in the discussion.

 

[Gybe]

Could JonnyG just be another make it up as you go along EU police officer?

What HGV? I never realised that a Toyoya or a Nissan 4x4 were now HGV's JonnyG. Being "caught" means there would be fines, endorsments or drivers being locked up, vehicles impounded. That has never happened.

If you are unable to debate a point without using personal insults Gybe then please don't take part in the discussion.

 

[Gybe]

Post Deleted
Parksy (Moderator)

 

[JonnyG]

So sorry Gybe it appears i might have misunderstood the bit about HGVs. but you said and i qoute..

"My colleagues and I regularly stop in Holland at a freight depot, are we to assume that the Dutch drivers all lie about their dealings with various police forces in Europe".

Then you mention your friends being stopped and their trailer was about to be searched...
Silly of me to assume that your two comments did not mean,A. talking to dutch hgv drivers! and B your frinds were towing a small van trailer! and not an hgv trailer as your first sentence gave the impression of.. and of course later on you mention more friends who just so happen to also always being stopped but of course in that sentence i did assume you ment in their cars,and my remarks of driving standars were actually aimed at them.
Now back on track and please bare in mind one thing Gybe we are All giving our opinions but you seem to think yours has to be right,i mean you now chuck in a friend who is a cop, big deal dont we al,,in my lifetime have known several all up to the chief of police of marselle,again that matters for nothing.. you have gone out of your way to portray driving across france as some sort of nightmere for us brits, from my experince and my firms i disagree with you assertion, as it seems do others on here. its not the end of the world you know/ afterall do you see me harping on about you, whom in no uncertain terms has called me a liar?/or of making things up?